C. Lee Cawley

cleecawley.com

Recently scams have affected people I know well. My dear Mother-in-Law lost nearly $300, while a good friend's father was scammed out of $69,000!  Both of them are highly intelligent people but it shows how clever scammers can be with their deceptive tactics!

The FBI reports more than $10 Billion in losses from online scams n 2022. Don’t let this happen to YOU!  Here are some suggestions from the FTC:

1 – To block telemarketing calls, register your number on the “Do Not Call List” which protects landline and wireless phone numbers. You can register at no cost by calling 1-888-382-1222. You must call from the phone number you wish to register. You can also register at donotcall.gov.

2 –  Learn how to BLOCK and LABEL other unwanted calls to your cell phone, VOIP line, or landline HERE. Scroll down to find your service provider.

3 – Register with a free service for VOIP landlines like NoMoRoBo to prevent the scammers' calls from getting through. (A paid version is available for cell phones)

4 – Recognize, remove, and avoid malware on your computer. Learn how to HERE.

5 – If you receive ANY calls or emails from the IRS that are suspicious, DO NOT click on them! Instead, forward them to phishing@irs.gov.

6 – If you have received suspicious emails claiming to be from your bank, Apple, Amazon, or anyone else the FBI also wants to know about it at the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Your report will help them catch criminals and protect others.

7 – And The FTC wants to hear from you about ANY kind of fraud! Fraudulent calls, emails, texts, businesses, and identity theft are all things they will help with.

Your homework: Take 10 minutes today to stop or block unwanted calls and check for malware. When you get suspicious spam or calls, take a few minutes to report them to the authorities above. Can you share any scams that you have been exposed to? Share your observations in my FB Group to help protect us all!

For more information, contact C Lee Cawley.